26 July 2001 Edition
Farnham Estate should be acquired for the people
Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has joined his Cavan County Council colleagues Charlie Boylan and Pauline Tully in a joint call for the Farnham Estate in County Cavan to be acquired for the people. The magnificent 18th century house and 1,200-acre estate near Cavan town went on the open market last week. The Sinn Féin TD and councillors said:
``The Farnham Estate should be acquired by the State and/or Cavan County Council as a superb resource for the people of County Cavan and Ireland. The historic house and gardens, including woods and lakes, should be in public ownership. It could be preserved intact as a public park and open farm and maintained as an amenity for locals and visitors. The holdings of the existing leaseholders of agricultural lands on the estate should be guaranteed. These local farmers should be afforded priority options and favourable terms.
``Local authorities throughout the country successfully run similar estates which are major visitor attractions. This would be a boost to County Cavan's tourism sector and that of the whole region.''
Ó Caoláin has written to the Cavan County Manager, Brian Johnston, and to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Síle de Valera, with this proposal. ``Given the unprecedented resources now available to the State, the sale of the Farnham Estate presents a unique opportunity which will not occur again,'' he said. ``It would be a shame if this estate were to remain in private hands, to be enjoyed only by a privileged few.''
``The Farnham Estate should be acquired by the State and/or Cavan County Council as a superb resource for the people of County Cavan and Ireland. The historic house and gardens, including woods and lakes, should be in public ownership. It could be preserved intact as a public park and open farm and maintained as an amenity for locals and visitors. The holdings of the existing leaseholders of agricultural lands on the estate should be guaranteed. These local farmers should be afforded priority options and favourable terms.
``Local authorities throughout the country successfully run similar estates which are major visitor attractions. This would be a boost to County Cavan's tourism sector and that of the whole region.''
Ó Caoláin has written to the Cavan County Manager, Brian Johnston, and to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Síle de Valera, with this proposal. ``Given the unprecedented resources now available to the State, the sale of the Farnham Estate presents a unique opportunity which will not occur again,'' he said. ``It would be a shame if this estate were to remain in private hands, to be enjoyed only by a privileged few.''